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general post-mortem appearances were typical. The bacillus isolated was motile, non-sporing, non-gram staining, and could easily be cultivated. The cultures on agar and gelatine were suggestive of the typhoid or the colon group of organisms. The usual tests were male with different nutrient media, with the following re- sult. The organism did not liquefy gelatine. It gave no indol reaction, and only coagulated milk after 14 days. It formed gas like the bacillus coli and gave a negative reaction with a strongly positive agglutinating serum from a typhoid fever patient.
I am inclined to believe that this micro-organism was closely allied to the para-typhoid group of bacilli. It is proposed, however, to enquire into the pre- sence of this organism in the Far East more deeply, as it may account for numbers of cases showing continued fever, yet giving a negative agglutination reaction when WIDAL'S Test is applied.
Again, the body of a child, aged a few days was brought to the Mortuary for post-mortem examination. The pathological appearances were those of early enteric fever. Bacteriological tests were applied and resulted in the isolation of a micro-organism from the liver and spleen which gave no indol reaction, did not coagulate milk and formed gas in a manner similar to the bacterium coli commune.
In conclusion, I wish to refer to the significance of so-called “ypho-malarial" fever. In China such a fever is apparently far from rare. Mention of its occur- rence is frequently made by the Medical Officers in the Chinese Customs Service. I think there is a certain amount of evidence to show that such cases of continued and indefinite fever are in reality of the nature of undulant or so-called Mediterr- anean fever.
Bacteriological Investigations.
A considerable amount of pure bacteriological work has been done during the year.
No attempt has so far been made to prepare complicated vaccines and sera. Their manufacture at the Public Mortuary would be attended by considerable risk.
During January, 1904, considerable quantities of DANYsz's Virus were prepared. It was distributed by the Sanitary Authorities through the City. No increased death-rate amongst rats was observed. Having been given a fair trial, the manu- facture of the virus was discontinued. It was obvious that the strains of the virus, with which I had been working, had lost their virulence and resisted all attempts to modify this. They were got from England and South Africa and had been a long time outside the body of a rat or other animal.
Fresh strains of this virus have been ordered from France where signal success, in the destruction of rats, has been attained by Danysz, Roux, and others.
The examination of over 30 samples of water has been made during the year. Two disinfectant solutions were examined by me, at the request of the Presid- ent of the Sanitary Board.
Their names are:- -(1) Odamine.
(2) Disinfectol.
Odamine. This disinfectant solution-manufactured in England-was ex- amined bacteriologically in order to test its power of killing the B. pestis.
The following result was obtained :--
(1.) According to LOEFFLER'S method:
1% of Odamine in saline solution killed the B. pestis in 10 minutes.
2% Do.,
5%
Do..
do.,
do.,
(2.) According to BEHRING'S method :
do.
in 5 minutes.
do.
in 5 minutes.
0.2% of Odamine will not kill the B. pestis with certainty in 24
hours.
1% of Odamine kills the organism in 4 minutes. 5% of Odamine kills the organism in 3 minutes.
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